Medium body with a dark ruby color. Aromas of cigar box and asian spices. On the tongue it revealed pleasant, but quite subtle, cassis and cherry fruit with a touch of earthy minerals. Medium, balanced finish with some tannins hinting of better things to come.

This wine has something left in its bag of tricks that should emerge over the next few years. I plan to look for some more. My score - 91.

Make Cab, not War.

Thanks Babnik, nice note.

There's a lot of love in the room tonight.

Babnik,

I have a case that I have been drinking through. I have been generally lucky so far but BE VERY CAREFUL with this vintage. There are many, many well documented horror stories of cork taint in this vintage of DB. I started drinking mine only because I became aware of this. Of six bottles drank I have only had 1 bad but some people have had whole cases tainted. Sometimes it is just as if someone sucked the fruit out of the wine. This is not a good gamble. It is a shame since I love DB. Looking forward to my 2000 futures.

Ciao

Enoselsa

"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese"

I snatched up a case at one store and one at another store for $80 a bottle (2nd growth). Drank two bottles already and they were wonderful. Just wondering should I keep them a little longer and just about how long?

I just started to drink red wine for the past 5 years and had acquired the taste for the french bordeaux. Still much to learn though.

Lrickets-

Don't drink those 96s yet. This is a quality chateau, and Parker has this starting to mature in 2008, with it ranging to 2035! If you like it now, just imagine what it will be when it reaches its peak (somewhere in the 20teens)! Good wines like this are meant to be aged and you will not regret saving this one, assuming you have good storage conditions.

There's a lot of love in the room tonight.

thanks grossie for the tips, I will keep those a little while longer. I do have a little wine fridg. that I keep under my stairs.

Enoselsa,

Thanks for the "heads up" re cork taint in the '89. My late father-in-law collected Ducru Beaucaillou and I've been trying to carry on the tradition by adding to some excellent vintages he left behind such as 1959 and 1961. Since there's other, perhaps less risky, ways to spend $100+ on DB, perhaps I'll hold off on the '89.

I too am anxiously awaiting the 2000's. Do you plan to open one to try immediately of hold off?

Make Cab, not War.

Thanks much for the nice note. Just curious if anyone has any recent experience with the 95. I did a search and found that the consensus was to wait (another 10 years) just curious if anyone has any other views.

-- london02

Tasted on 11/21/08.
Upon opening had significant barnyard odor. No taint. Poured most into 4 glasses and let is sit for 45 minutes, swirling occasionally, and sniffing. Gradually, the odor blew off. Should have waited another 15 minutes to a half hour.
Enormous change in 45 minutes of breathing.

Medium color. Medium body. Smokey taste with significant tannins, quite a long finish, and minerally. Quiet fruits...cherries? A very nice experience overall.